Barnorama All Fun In The Barn
Meriam Ibrahim is a 27 year-old Sudanese woman that is facing religious persecution so severe, it may end in her own death. Her father was Muslim, but she was raised as a Christian. As an adult, she made the decision to marry a Christian man… and is now in jail for it.
She was sentenced to death by the Sudanese government for this “crime.” She was 8 months pregnant with her second child at the time of her arrest. Just this week, she gave birth to her baby girl in prison while she was held down and her feet chained together. Her young son and daughter now live with her in the prison, where she is awaiting execution.
Her lawyers and political leaders are fighting to free her, but so far they are without luck.
Both of her young children are in jail with her, a dirty and overcrowded place that’s no place for a child.
A Sudanese law requires children to follow their father’s faith. Mariam’s father is a Muslim, but she was predominantly raised by her mother, an Orthodox Christian.
A court ruled that she is Muslim because that was her father’s faith. As a result, her Christian marriage of 2011 was annulled. Mariam was arrested by the police for the first time on September 14th, 2013.
She was sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery, since sex outside of a “lawful relationship” is considered adultery (and her marriage was seen as an unlawful union). She was also sentenced to death by hanging for renouncing Islam. In Sudan, apostasy (the renunciation of a religion) is punishable by death. Only 12 other countries in the world have similar laws.
This violation (and neglect) of Mariam’s basic human rights is disgusting, criminal and borderline insane. Share this story and raise awareness of her terrible situation. Hopefully political officials and her lawyers can help free this innocent woman.